Richie becomes Australia’s most hated man on TV after dumping Nikki in favour of Alex

ALL love has been lost between Bachelor viewers and Richie Strahan after his surprising decision in the show’s finale.

ALL love has been lost between Australia and Richie Strahan after he dumped fan favourite Nikki Gogan and chose single mum Alex Nation in the shocking finale of The Bachelor.

To put things in perspective, the nation hasn’t been dealt a blow like this since that guy who looks like a potato proposed to Sam Frost on The Bachelor in 2014 and then dumped her days later.

In the lead up to tonight’s big decision, viewers at home were convinced the bubbly blonde real estate agent from Western Australia would receive the final rose and win Richie’s heart.

Even Nikki herself thought the love she felt for the rope access technician was mutual.

“I feel it’s me. Every ounce of me says it’s me,” the 28-year-old assured herself, moments before hearing Richie’s decision.

“What I feel for Richie is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. He’s the one I want to do life with. Do I get to be that girl who gets to be the one at the end and live happily ever after? Do I get to be that lucky?”

She doesn’t.

Coming face-to-face with Nikki in a Balinese rice terrace, Richie built her hopes up just a little bit.

“You’re like no woman I’ve ever met before,” he told her. “I think about what a relationship and what a future would look like with you. And how easy it would be for our lives to come together. How loyal and how trustworthy you would be. And you’d stick by me through thick and thin.”

Nikki can feel Richie’s decision is coming.

Then he jabbed the knife in.

“Going on this adventure, my family gave me some advice,” he said. “And that advice was to follow my heart. And, Nikki, I really hope you understand but my heart is with Alex.”

Dumping Nikki is kind of like holding a gorgeous golden retriever puppy up to your face and telling it, ‘I hate you’. It just doesn’t make sense.

And in that moment, all affection Australia had for the strawberry blonde boy from WA evaporated. Bachelor backlash was immediate on social media, as fans leant their hashtags and raised their broken-heart emojis for Nikki.

NOOOOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔💔 #TheBachelorAU

— Sam Frost (@Sam_Frost) September 15, 2016

PLEASE @TurnbullMalcolm IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO INTERVENE

DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY???#TheBachelorAU

— dan debuf (@dandebuf) September 15, 2016

YOU CAN FOLLOW YOUR HEART STRAIGHT TO HELL RICHIE #BachelorAU

— mimi petrakis (@mimi_is_bored) September 15, 2016

RICHIE'S AN ASSHOLE I FEEL SO SORRY FOR NIKKI, she deserves someone better than him and i hope she finds him :( x #BachelorAU @TheBachelorAU

— Gem (@Gemmy0298) September 15, 2016

You know what Rich, I honestly don't think you're cool bananas anymore #BachelorAU #Nikki

— Caitlin Man-Of-Sons (@mannofsons) September 15, 2016

Heartbroken, Nikki’s response was genuine but stunned, her sincerity breaking viewers’ hearts even more.

“Yeah, I’ve had a great time,” she told him. “I had a lot of fun. Thank you for everything. Yeah, I’ve had lots of fun. I love you a lot and I love you enough to ... you know ... yeah I do wish you all the very best. I thought what we had was special but what you have with Alex must just top all of that. Good luck.”

She then began the ten-minute walk out of the giant Balinese rice terrace. The only thing that would have made it sadder is if she accidentally stacked it and body-rolled up and down the grassy mounds.

Nikki walks away after being heartbroken.

Even in her post-eviction car monologue — where some contestants choose to be a little more candid about not receiving a rose — Nikki’s honesty and integrity made witnessing Richie’s decision all the more tragic.

“I don’t have any hard feelings towards Richie. He’s been awesome,” Nikki said through tears. “Richie’s made the right decision for him and for his heart — so that’s what this journey was all about. I hope all those words he used, he meant. I think he would have.

“So yeah ... I don’t have his heart, that’s all. I wouldn’t change anything. I don’t regret anything. And what he has with Alex must be really, really special. And I hope they’ll be incredibly happy together. I still love Richie and it’ll take a while to get over.”

“I still love Richie” ... Nikki says there’s no hard feelings.

Moments after mercilessly dumping the gorgeous Nikki, it was time to shake off the blues, get with single mum Alex and become the baby daddy to her five-year-old son, Elijah.

“I have thought about you. I have thought about Elijah,” he told her. “And I thought, ‘Am I man enough to take on that responsibility?’ And I really feel I am.

“Coming on this adventure Alex, I was told to follow my heart. And following my heart has led me to you. I love you, Alex. Alex, you’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“I love you, Alex” ... Richie chooses Alex on The Bachelor.

Receiving a ring that symbolises Richie’s “willingness to give you my heart”, an emotional Alex said she’s “the happiest I’ve ever been”.

So what will happen next for Richie and Alex? Will they exchange Instagram posts for free flights to Bali like Tim and Anna? Will Richie go on to adopt Michelle Bridge’s workout program and create his own fitness brand like Sam Wood? Or will they slink back out of the public eye and never be heard of again, like the now-separated Blake and Louise? Time will tell.

- @hellojamesweir

“The happiest I’ve ever been” ... Alex and Richie kiss.